In the summer of 1974, while the nation focused on Watergate, a crisis was unfolding inside the Huntsville Unit, known as "The Walls." Three armed inmates took over the prison's education building, holding more than a dozen teachers and staff hostage for 11 days. When it was over, not everyone walked out.
"It was totally shocking cause I'm like why would they, you know, that's exactly what was shocking. They would take the teachers," said Ray Branch, whose father was inside.
The man behind it all, Fred Carrasco, was a notorious South Texas drug lord. He issued chilling demands and a warning, "now there's only one way that these people will see the light again, and that's for you to cooperate. You have the power."
More than 50 years later, rare audio and film footage capture the fear the hostages faced and the tragic ending that took the lives of Elizabeth Yvonne "Von" Beseda and Julia "Judy" Standley, two civilians who worked for the prison school district.
"I don't think any of us really thought something like that would ever occur. And when it did occur and there was a loss of life, it's very sobering and it makes you take stock of your situation," explained Wayne Scott, retired Executive Director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, who was nearly shot as the standoff started.
In our latest episode of Texas True Crime, ABC13's Jessica Willey has incredible moments from the 11 days of terror and sits down with those who were there throughout it and families of hostages who anxiously waited for their fate.
"They were normal everyday people, and they did their best to survive," said Frances Hunter, the daughter of a hostage.
Watch Texas True Crime: 11 Days of Terror wherever you stream ABC13.
Watch Texas True Crime on your favorite streaming devices, like Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and GoogleTV. Just search "ABC13 Houston."
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